Blumenthal Statement On CODEL To Egypt

(Cairo, Egypt) – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) released the following statement regarding his Congressional delegation trip to Egypt. Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is visiting the Middle East this week with Senator McCain and other Senate colleagues.

Our meetings in Egypt with President Morsi, the Prime Minister, Defense Minister, other top officials as well as opposition leaders and prominent business people, have been frank and highly informative.

We expressed very directly to President Morsi our strong disapproval in no uncertain terms about his recently disclosed remarks he made in 2010, which Americans will find offensive and unacceptable. This message was conveyed with clear bipartisan unanimity.

We urged that the Egyptian Constitution be amended to protect civil rights and liberties, most especially the rights of women, religious minorities and others.  We cited the example of America's Bill of Rights, resulting from amendments to our Constitution.

We also urged more effective action in the Sinai region to counter extremists and terrorists, not only to protect regional military security but also to help stop human trafficking.

We advocated as well that President Morsi and his government reaffirm and work to fulfill the peace treaty with Israel.

We met with leaders of the Syrian opposition, to discuss how the United States can and should do more to aid their cause to fight Assad's cruel and brutal dictatorship as he continues to slaughter Syria's own people.

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